Railway truck



Feb. 2, 1937. D. s. BARRows RAILWAY TRUCK Filed Feb. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORN EY Feb. '21, 1937. D. 's BARows RAILWAY `TRUCK Y Filed Feb. 25, 1952 2 sheets-heet 2 Zz 205i? .oya/dl/arvvows l INVENTOR ATTORNEY 0 5 ment of my truck shown in Figure 1, a portion' Patented Feb. '2, 1937 ira srarss PATENT FFICE RAILWAY TRUCK Donald S. Barrows, Rochester, N. Y., assigner to The Syming'ton-Gould Corporation, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application February 25, 1932, Serial No. 595,135

y 19 Claims.

holsters and associated parts, whereby maximum strength per unit of weight is secured and assembly and detachment of the parts facilitated.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a railway truck side frame with journal boxes integrally connected at the ends thereof, the strength of connection therewith being increased by providing triangular gussets extending outwardly from the lower portions of depending flanges thereof, and forming continuai tions of 'outside beads on said anges, if used.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a side frame in which the tension member has an intermediate horizontal portion and diagonal end portions, said end portions being formed with an upper web portion and depending anges, said ilanges being curved away from their normal line of direction as they approach the ends of the frame to act as a double bottom bracket where they unite with the inner walls of associated journal boxes, the connection with said journal boxes being further strengthened by a sh-tail gusset extending from the' inner side wall of each journal box and tapering toward the depending flanges of the tension mem# ber to merge therewith.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of-a railway truck comprising `side frames supporting bolster springs and an associated bolster, each side frame comprising struts spacing upper and lower members thereof and interposed between adjacent coils of said bolster springs. f

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my inventiont- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one embodiment of my truck.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan of the embodiof the compression member of the side frame being broken away to more clearly show the top plan of the tension member.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Figure 1, looking ln the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a plan of one of the locking shims detached from the bolster and frame.

10 Figure 7 is a side elevation of the shim shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 'is an end elevation of the shim shown in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view on the 15 line 9 9 of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, there is shown a portion of a. truck I comprising a pair of side frames 2, only one of which is illustrated. Each side frame comprises a compres sion member 3, a tensiony member 4, and bolster guide columns 5 spacing intermediateportions of said compression and tension members, and spaced to leave a bolster or window opening 6 therebetween. Integrally united with the frame 2 of the present embodiment are journal boxes 'I, only one of which is illustrated. Each 'journal box has a roof portion 8 with which the web 9 of the tension member directly unites and an inner side wall I0 with which the depending anges II of the tension member merge at the ends. The compression member preferably comprises a web I 2 which extends over the roof 8 oi each box and curves downwardly to unite with the outer side wall I3 thereof, and depending anges It, the outer ends of which nare to merge with the depending iianges II `of the tension member.

The tension member Il has an intermediate normally horizontal spring seat member or portion I5 generally box-shape in section, the upper web 9 of which is extended laterally beyond the depending flanges or substantially vertical web portions II thereof to provide a spring seating portion of adequate area. The spring seating portions beyond the flanges II are desirably reinforced by triangular gussets I6. The depth of the anges II along the diagonal end portions of the tension member is generally less than that of said anges at the horizontal portion thereof, the lower outline of said diagonal portions being rst concave downwardly and then convex downwardly to provide a bulge beneath the guide col- 5./

umns where the diagonal portions join the horizontal portion, thereby reinforcing the junctions at the guide columns. The lower web portion Il beneath the bolster opening B'desirably terminates between the guide columns 5, or approximately therebeneath, leaving the outer portions of the tension member substantially inverted U- shape in section, as shown most clearly in .Figures 3 and 4..

The upper web 9 of the tension lmember is, in

. the present embodiment, formed with upper longitudinal convolutions or corrugations I8, only one of which is illustrated, which provide auxiliary web portions disposed at an angle to and branching from the main web 9. These auxiliary web portions, which are connected to themain web portions by generally triangular portions, as shownin Fig. 1, start between the guide columns, as indicated at I9, and extend diagonally upward and outward through the guide columns to finally merge) with the normal plane of the web 9 at approximately the position of the section, line 3 3, thereby strengthening the angle between the horizontal and inclined portions of the tension member, as well as providing supplemental or intermediate support for those portions of the tension member between the guide columns. This 'convolution results in a section just outwardly of the guide columns, as shown in Figure 4, the depending flanges II of which are at that point just starting to turn outward from the normal vertical positions between the guide columns so that they gradually assume the downwardly flaring positions shown in Figure 3, as the corrugation or auxiliary truss member I8 gradually tapers to merge into the upper web 5, from where it is continued to merge into the roof 8 of the journal box, at the inner corner portion of sai box, as shown most clearly in Figure 5. For strengthening the connection with the roof, the web 9 of the tension member is gradually thickened to a maximum at the junction with the roof the depending flanges I@ of the compression member being correspondingly gradually thickened from the periphery of the circle 2li to the junction between the tension member web 9 to the roof 8. i

.Forfurtherincreasing the strength of connection between the tension member and the side of the box'l, a ange 2lL is provided which extends outwardly from the side wall I of the box between the tension member flanges, preferably adjacent the lower end of the brass lug 22, and is bifurcated to form, or terminates in, tapering extensions or fish-tail gussets 23 curving downwardly'and inwardly to merge with the inner surfaces of the depending angesA II of the tension member d. The connection between the tension and compression members is desirably reinforced by flaring the outer ends of the compression member iianges It and cause them to merge with the upper edges of the tension member flanges i I, as indicated at 23'. The lower/edges of both the tension and compression member flangesy are desirably reinforced by outer headings 2&4 and 25,

respectively. The beading 2t of the tension member is desirably extended adjacent the inner wall of the journal box I to provide triangular reinforcing gussets 26 and 2l. i

Each guide column desirably comprises a web` portion 28 which extends substantially vertically from the compression to the tension member. The sides of each guide column Y5 are defined by flange portions 29 extending from the side edges of the web 28 and with their free edges preferablyreinforced by beading 30. Said iianges are desirably spaced a greater distance than the width of the convolution I8 in the tension member so that they straddie said convolution and connect with the main web portion 9 of the tension member on either side of the convoluted portion I8 thereof.`

-. between lugs on the associated bolster, the planes of engagement being commonly disposed, as shown in the patent referred to, parallel to the longitudinal vertical plane of the side frame. When, through the omission or flexibility of the spring plank, or clearance between said plank and the frames, one frame tends to lead the other, ythe center line of the bolster describes other than a right angle, with the longitudinal vertical plane of the side frame, forming contacts between the corresponding corners of the guide columns and bolster which are theoretically vertical lines, and as the bolster moves vertically with reference to the columns under external impulses, causing movements of the supporting springs, the bolster will speedilywear the contacting corners of the columns until, through wear, sufficient bearing area has been developed, so that any further wear will be at a progressively slower rate. In this process of developing addianees' between bolster and columns are lost and the actual clearances become too great for correct alignment of the parts.`

In order to change this undesirable condition, I form the flangesi29 at the bolster guiding portions of the guide columns 5 with guiding surfaces 3I on planes radial, or substantially radial, from the vertical axis 32 of the frame or the intersection between the central longitudinal plane of the frame and the central transverse plane thereof. The bolster could have flanges or lugs with surfaces formed on corresponding radial planes for engagement with .the guiding surfaces 3| on the columns, the included angle between said surfaces` being greater than the included angle of the radial column sides by an amount equal to the angle which the bolster is permitted to swing from one extreme to the other, upon departure from the normal right angle relationship with respect tothe frame. Because of this radial relationship. movement of the bolster to an extreme allowable. angular position would still result in contact on generally flat surfaces, substantial in extent, rather than the line contact previously referred to. In the present embodiment, however, I have continued this improvement further, as will now beexplained.

Instead of forming the webs 28 of the guide i columns 5 on parallel planes, I have formed# the inner faces concave to the contour of a vertically disposed cylinder whose vertical 'axis coincides with the intersection of the longitudinal andjlocking with the concave cylindrical portions of Y g the guidelcolumns, and be otherwise, than as heretofore described, of conventional construction. I have, however, carried my improvement still a step further to facilitate assembly andproparts upon redrical web portion 34, the outer surface of which is convex t0 nest with the concave cylindrical surface of the corresponding guide column, and

the inner surface of which is concave, about a `correspondingly shorter radius, to 'receive and interlock with a corresponding convex projection 35 on the bolster 36. The outer ends of the web portion 34 of each shim have flanged portions 3l formed radial to correspond with the radial bearing surfaces 3i on the guiding portions of the columns 5 and with guiding lugs 38 on the bolster, which have corresponding radial surfaces extending from the ends of the cylindrical portions 35. In this way, the shims 33 are interlocked with the guide columns at their outer surfaces and with the bolster at their inner surfaces so that they serve to interlock the bolster 36 with respect to i the side frames, suicient clearance, however, be-

ing provided, as shown most clearly in Figure 2, to permit a limited amount of horizonal angling between the bolster and each frame while at the same'time avoiding any line engagement at the limit of the angling movement, as was the custom when using a conventiona bolster and frame interlock, as shown in the Kadel Patent No. 1,630,567, previously referred to.

In order to hold the shims 33 in place, while at the same time providing for their convenient application and removal, each shim is formed with a lower ange portion 39 which overlies portions of the bolster springs 4U, and an associated spring plate 4I, if used, whereby, when the parts are assembled, saidl flanges 39 serve as bases for holding the cylindrical and radial locking portions of each shim in. place. The bottom flanges ofthe shims are further equipped with upward projections 42 tting into corresponding pockets 43 in the underside of the bolster end to serve as reaction points to resist any possible horizontal component from an eccentric application of spring load to the shim planes which might tend to cause rotation of the entire shim around a horizontal axis parallel with the bolster axis, and -thereby cause the bottom edge of the shim to draw away from the bolster. These auxiliary locking `means 42 may be either in the form of the upwardly projecting spuds illustratedor of any desired cross-section, or they may be in the form of splines or tenons fitting in grooves in the bottom surfaces of the bolster ends.

In the present embodiment, I have shown the bolster' supported by means of four helical.

springs 40 and an elliptic spring or set 44 without the use of any spring plank, the springs 49 and 44 resting directly on the upper web 9 of the tension member beneath the bolster opening 6,' with or without a spring plate (not shown). as the form of helical elliptic group of the present embodiment necessitates placing the helical springs so that they extend beyond the usual plan contour of a conventional bolster, with which the bolster illustrated approximately corresponds,` the flanges- 39 of the shims serve not onlyl as bases therefor,'but also as partial spring caps for the helicalsprings 40. The springs 4,0 are desirably interlocked with the frame by encircling upwardly extending lugs` 45, and the elliptic spring Inasmuch 44 may be held in place by having the lower portion of its band 46 received in a corresponding pocket in the upper web 9 of the frame. The

. upper ends 'of the helical springs 40 are desirably encircled by depending flange portions 41 on the shims 33 and 48 from the bolster 36. The lower web 49 of the bolster is desirably formed with a downwardly opening pocket 50 receiving the upper portion of the elliptic spring band to hold said spring in proper position.

From the foregoing disclosure, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have devised a truck involving a novel form of side frame adapted to be connected to and disconnected from an associated bolster by locking shims disposed between the sides of the bolster and the guide columns and of such a character that a limited amount of horizontal angling beneath the bolster and side frames is permitted, with the maintenance of contacting areas regardless of bolster angularity. Inasmuch as the bolster does not haveto be dropped for disconnection from the frame, the

guide columns do not have to be substantially offset away from each other at their lower portions to permit the passage of bolster locking lugs, the bolster over the lug portions 38 being no wider than the distance vbetween the guiding portions 3| of the columns. It will, therefore, be seen that the lower portions of the guide columns are spaced a distance approximately corresponding with the upper or guiding portions thereof, and, in the present embodiment, said guide co1- umns extend between adjacent helical springs 4U, that is, the spring supporting portion of the tension member is extended so that it is partially separated by the guide columns which, therefore, lie between portions of the helical springs on opposite sides of the longitudinal central plane of theside frame.

As will be understood, the assembly of the bolster and side frames involves merely the insertion of the bolster ends into the lbolster' openings 6 of the frames when the associated members are in approximately normal relative elevation with respect to onevanother. Thel locking shims 33 are then placed by moving the same upwardly between the sides of the bolster land the guiding portionsl of the columns 5 until they assume the position illustrated in Figure 1. The springs may thenv be inserted beneath the bolster and shims, it being merely necessary to move the bolsterv or' frame vertically, one withrespect to the other, so that the beading or spring-centering flanges 41 and 48 on the locking shimsl and bolster and the pocket 50 in the bolster properly receive the corresponding portions of the helical and elliptic springs.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated, it will be understood that modications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and that I may use the various features of my invention disclosed either separately or in combination, as desired. i

I claim- V \1. A side frame comprising a compression member. a tension member, 4struts spacing intermediate portions of said members and spaced to leavey a bolster opening therebetween, those 6. Aside frame comprising a tension member naar pression member adjacent the ends of said members, journal boxes integrally united with said members adjacent the ends of the frame, said tension member comprising an upper web and flanges depending therefrom, said upper web extending diagonally upward and outward to unite with the journal boxes adjacent the roofs thereof, said flanges uniting with the inner side walls of said journal boxes, the connection between said member and journal boxes being reinforced by substantially triangular gussets extending outwardly' from the lower portions of said flanges and uniting with the side walls of the boxes below the roofs thereof.

2. A side frame comprising a compression member, a tension member, struts spacing intermediate portions of said members and spaced to leave a bolster opening therebetween, those portions of the tension member on either side of said bolster opening extending diagonally upward, journal boxes integrally united with said compression and tension members adjacent the ends of the frame, said tension member comprising an upper web and depending flanges, said flanges adjacent the bolster openingA extending in planes approximately perpendicular to the plane of the web, said flanges gradually diverging from ysaid planesas they extend outwardly along the' K diagonal end portions .of the tension member to unite with the inner side walls of the journal boxes. f

3. A side frame comprising a tension member, the intermediate portion of which is formed as an upper web with depending substantially parallel flanges, the end portions of which comprise upper web portions with: depending anges angularly spread away from the vertical positions to a greater and greater degree as they approach the ends of the frame.

4. Aside ,frame comprising a compression member, a tension member, struts spacing intermediate portions of saidy members yand spaced to leave a bolster opening therebetween, those portions of the tension member on either side of said bolster opening extending diagonally upward, said tension member comprising a web and flanges, said flanges adjacent the bolster opening extending in planes approximately perpendicular to the plane of the web, said flanges. gradually diverging from said -planes as they extend outwardly along theA diagonal end portions of the tension member to unite with the inner side walls of the journal boxes.

5. A side frame comprisingl a tension member, the intermediate portion of which is formed as a web with substantially parallel anges, the end portions of which comprise web portions with flangesangularly spread away from the vertical positions to a greater and greater degree as they approach the ends of the frame.

formed with a main web, the intermediate por- `tion of which is normally horizontal and the-end portions of whichl are normally inclined, and auxiliary web portions generally alined with the longitudinal central plane of the frame, branching from intermediate parts of said`horizontal portions and extending to` finally merge with in- `termediatejparts of said inclined portions.

7. A side frame comprising a, tension member the intermediate portion of which is formed as'v an upper web with normally vertical .depending flanges, the end portions of said tension member `-comprising extensions of said upper web with the said upper web, on either side of said bolster opening, extending diagonally upward and outward to unite with-the journal boxes adjacent the roofs thereof, said flanges uniting with the inner side walls of said journal boxes, the lower edges of said flanges having beading along one side of each, for approximately the full length of said diagonal portions, the end portions of said tension member flanges having beading on the other sides enlarged to provide fish-tail gussets extending laterally from lower portions of said flanges in a generally horizontal direction and uniting with the side walls of the-boxes below the roofs thereof. y

9. A side frame comprising a compression member, a tension member, bolster guide columns spacing intermediate portions ofy said members and spaced to leave a. bolster opening therebetween, those portions of the tension member on either side of the bolster opening extending diagonally upward and outward to unite with the compression member adjacent the ends of said members, journalboxes integrally united with said members adjacent the ends of the frame, said/tension member comprising an upper web and flanges depending therefrom, said upper web extending diagonally upward and outward from the guide columns to unite with the journal boxes adjacent the roofs` thereof, said flanges uniting with the inner side walls of said journal boxes, each inner journal box wallI having a generally -horizontal flange extending between the ytension member flanges and terminating in fishtailgussets uniting with the inner sides of said flanges.

10.v A side frame comprising a tension member, the intermediate portion of which is formed as a web with flanges therebeneath extending atright angles thereto, the end portions of said tension member comprising-web portions with depending flanges, the planes of which are disposed at other than right angles with respect to said web portions.

11. A side frame comprising a. tension member formed with a main web, the intermediate portion of which is normally horizontal and the end portions of which are normally inclined, and auxiliary web portions disposed intermediate the vertical planes of the edge portions `of said main .prisingan intermediate normally horizontal portion and upwardly and outwardly diverging side portions, and reinforcing portions extending upwardly from said main web portion and comprising upper web portions inclined at a smaller angle to the horizontal than said diverging side web portions.

13. A side frame comprising a tension member having an upper web and iianges depending therefrom, said tension member comprising a normally generally horizontal portion and end portions extending diagonally upward and outward therefrom, the depth of the anges along said diagonal end portions being generally less than that of said anges at the horizontal portion thereof, the lower outline of said diagonal portions adjacent the junction with saidgenerally horizontal portion being first concave downwardly and then convex downwardly to provide a bulge for reinforcing said junctions, said junctions being further reinforced` by diagonal portions upstanding from said tension member and uniting intermediate portions of said horizontal and inclined tension member portions.

14. A side frame comprising a tension member having an upper web portion and flanges depending therefrom, said fianges being gradually spread away from their normal planes of direction by rotation about their upper edges, as they approach the ends of the frame, to act as a doubleI bottom bracket where they unite with the inner walls of said journal boxes.

15. A side frame comprising a tension member with an intermediate normally horizontal portion and diagonal end portions, said tension member being formed with upper longitudinal corrugations which provide auxiliary web portions disposed at an angle to and branching from the main portions of said tension member and reinforcing the joints between said normally horizontal and diagonal end portions thereof.

16. A side frame comprising journal boxes integral with the ends thereof, a tension member having an upper web portion which unites with the upper inner corners of said journal boxes, said Web portion being of maximum `thickness at the junctions with the inner edges of the roofs of said journal boxes and gradually decreasing in thickness therefrom to the normal thickness of said tension member web, and a compression member with depending anges uniting with the roofs of said boxes and saidweb portion, said flanges being gradually thickened radially to the inner edges of said roofs.

17. A side frame comprising a compression member, a tension member and bolster guide columns uniting intermediate portions of said members and spaced to leave a bolster opening therebetween, said bolster guide columns comprising webs normally extending substantially vertically between said compression and tension members, each column having flanges extending from said webs toward the ends of the frame, and said tension member having an upstanding reinforcing portionpf less width than the distance between said flanges, said flanges having beading on their free edges extending across said reinforcing portion and merging with the tension member.

18. A side frame comprising a compression -member, a tension member and bolster guide Acolumns uniting intermediate portions of said members and spaced to leave a bolster opening therebetween, said bolster guide columns comprising webs normally extending substantially vertically between said compression and tension members, each column having flanges extending from said webs toward the ends of the frame, and said tension member having an upstanding reinforcing portion of less width than the distance between said anges, said flanges straddling said reinforcing portions and merging with the tension member.

19. A side frame comprising a compression member, a tension member, bolster guide columns uniting intermediate portions of said compression and tension members and spaced to leave a bolster opening therebetween,-said tension member comprising a normally horizontal web portion underlying said bolster opening, and diagonal web portions disposed at opposite sides of said bolster opening, and means for reinforcing the junctions between that portion of the tension member beneath the bolster opening and those portions outwardly thereof, said means comprising portions vertically disposed with respect to, and branching yfrom intermediate p0rtions of, the diagonal web portions, and united to said normally horizontal web portion between the transverse vertical planes of said, guide co1- umns, said horizontal and diagonal web portions of the tension member having anges extending therefrom, and the portions of the edges of said flanges, of the horizontal web'xportion remote from said horizontal web portion, being united to form a box section beneath the bolster opening.

DONALD. S. BARROWS. 

